Tainan, Taiwan, November 23, 2015

A human library launched by National Cheng Kung University (NCKU), Tainan, Taiwan, provides booklovers in the university community a revolutionary library-going experience. The event will run until December 11.

The theme of the human library is immigrant, with a special emphasis on Southeast Asian migrant workers.

A total of 10 staff, students, and experts become human books in the event. They offered their knowledge and life experiences to anyone who chose to ‘pick them from the shelf’.

Based on an idea that originated in Denmark as a way of confronting prejudice, the human library in NCKU featured the ‘books’ discussing subjects related to immigrants and migrant workers under the globalization.

Yesterday in the library three ‘readers’ including a professor, a student, and a staff, ‘checked out’ a ‘book’, Sister Chen, for thirty minutes during which they have a group conversation.

Sister Chen who has been serving among the migrant workers in Taiwan since 2012 talked about the people from southeastern Asia including Vietnam, the Philippines, and Indonesia, regarding their life in Taiwan.

The human library gives new meaning to open book, according to NCKU Library. It is expected to better utilize the professions and academics and provide enriched learning experience for students.

The Human Library was born out of a humble cause called Stop the Violence, a movement initiated by five young Danish citizens after a friend was knifed in 1993. The project gained momentum, and within a few years it amassed 30,000 members throughout Denmark.

With help from the Council of Europe, Stop the Violence became the Human Library.

As an international cause, the Human Library has expanded to schools and libraries all over the world.
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